Kuchiki Clan
General Information One of the four noble houses of Soul Society, the is renowned for their pride and honor above all other virtues. Without a doubt, the Kuchiki clan is the singularly most wealthy and influential family within all of Soul Society. On the surface, the Kuchiki family’s long line of powerful shinigami might indicate this is because of superior swordsmanship or spiritual power- but to assume so is a grave fallacy. In truth, the Kuchiki clan has gained a central authority within the Court of Pure Souls thanks to that which it holds most high; pride and honor have shaped the destiny of the Kuchiki since their earliest beginnings, and still defines the role of the clan to this day. Origin The Kuchiki clan was a noble clan in the mortal realm, with an ancient line of descent. Their dogged respect for their ancestors (honor) and inseparable ties of belonging and unity (pride) allowed them to establish something unique in the afterlife. While most human families simply separated and suffered in their afterlives, the Kuchiki cooperated and prospered. While individual mortal spirits faced the rigors of the realms on their own, the Kuchiki were always able to fall back upon eachother for support. The Kuchiki clan retained its best and brightest- it’s most skilled swordsmen, it’s most subtle and deceptive diplomats. The greatest of the Kuchiki were able to pass on their crafts to their descendents, who were then able to refine them and pass them down in their turn. In time, the Kuchiki became a vast enterprise at the spiritual crossroads. History The Kuchiki clan pursued many profitable ventures at the spiritual crossroads- which would later come to be known as Doubutsu Kato- but mainly abided by occupations that afforded them the greatest pride and honor among the itinerant spirits that navigated the realms. The Kuchiki became skilled performers, artists, and many families also owned lavish inns and private restaurants. This curious predilection for beauty is reflected in the faces and grounds of the modern Kuchiki; Byakuya has the face of a scholar, not a warrior, and the Kuchiki grounds more closely resemble a resort than a military establishment. As the wandering Obake tribes gradually secured control of the crossroads over thousands of years, the Kuchiki operated as much they had before- they survived, secure in their pride and unshakable loyalty to their clan. In spite of the anti-human sentiment of their Obake rulers, the Kuchiki were afforded much greater freedoms than other human spirits. The Kuchiki used this monopoly of power to secure their position of authority among the deceased human spirits, and created a vast network of illicit trade and smuggling. It wouldn’t be accurate to call them gangsters, although the Obake of the age would have proclaimed it- the Kuchiki always showed politeness in their dealings, and were honorable in their commitments. This unique position in the spiritual black market provided the Kuchiki with a great opportunity. After the Shihouin clan was exiled from Doubutsu Kato by the Iyashii, the Shihouin and Kuchiki formed a mutual agreement. In return for information and resources, the Kuchiki would be secured a position of central authority and autonomy within the society that was to form after Doubutsu Kato’s destruction. Thanks to the information lines, connections, and resources of the Kuchiki, was able to firmly establish the rule of the Soul King over the masses without the threat of widespread chaos and rebellion. The Kuchiki clan ascended to a position of utmost authority, just below that of the Soul King himself, and took its place among the four founding noble houses of Soul Society. Intra-Clan Politics Soul Society Law: Soul Society’s Laws do not apply to the Kuchiki, insofar that members of the four noble houses are not citizens of Soul Society, but instead exist as distinct groups, each with their own laws, customs, and punishments. Violating this autonomy represents a threat to the treaty that enabled Soul Society’s formation, and so the Shinigami and Central 46 do not interfere with the operations of the noble houses so long as they do not represent an imminent threat to the security of soul society at large. Occasionally, the Kuchiki will banish a member from their house, if his dishonor is great enough. Shihouin clan relations: The Kuchiki clan maintains friendly relationships with the Shihouin clan, and it is by long tradition that the heirs of the two noble houses train alongside one another as allies. Gotei 13: Although it is not a law or requirement, it is the expectation of the Kuchiki clan that at least one position of captain be held by a member of the Kuchiki clan at any time. This status showcases the power and authority of the Kuchiki clan, and gives the clan a voice in Seireitei’s affairs. Kenseikan (牽星箝, lit. "Star-Pulling Insert"): The Kenseikan, to most others seem little but a fashionable accessory - and to a minor extent, this is indeed the case. But unknown to all save the Kuchiki's themselves the Kenseikan is an essential piece of Kuchiki Clan politics and personal law, for it represents just how much the wearer is worth to the clan and their peers. Upon the birth of a child, the parents receive a single Kenseikan which they are to braid into the childs hair once its grown long enough; and its only at this point that the child be embraced as a full member of the clan. Should a child prove to have tremendous talent when compared to children of similiar age and experience, they will receive an additional Kenseikan; putting a visible gap between them and other children. Mostly Kenseikan are rewarded to individuals when they accomplish a task or do something to bring great honor to both themselves and the clan, a practise that relates back to the Clan's founding. However, while its possible to gain Kenseikan, its also easily possible to lose them, noteworthily in regards to putting yourself before your clan; or if you've comitted some sort of major crime; both of these bring shame both to you and the clan and such they are usually punished by removing a Kenseikan. Should a Clan member ever lose their last one, they're automatically banished from the Kuchiki Clan; as without Kenseikan - they've proven themselves unworthy of Kuchiki teachings, and have shamed both their clan and their most honorable ancestors. The Kenseikan are all about individual value, and therefore any honor they bestow is upon the individual wearer only - with close relatives, spouses and children of the member having their station unchanged. In addition to simply granting recognition and honor; the number of Kenseikan form a solid, well-working caste-system and in public, upon two Kuchiki members meeting, the one with the least amount of Kenseikan introduce themselves first, and are required to bow as a greeting, while addressing the other with the appropriate suffix "-sama"; this holding true even if those meetings are between close friends or relatives. The number of Kenseikan also determines the rights and influence of the wearer, which only grows as more Kenseikan is added. Due to how important Kenseikan are to any Kuchiki, stealing one is considered to steal a members honor - which is an offense that leads to dire consequences, as any Kuchiki will go to great lengths to get it back; and should the culprit be caught - they face public execution. If the culprit is a member of the clan, whom have stolen it in the hope of elevating their current position - he or she will be instantly stripped of all rights and banished from their clan. The ranks below are informal; and are never used by Kuchiki members, only by their associates, mostly in regards to political marriages and the likes. *'Accepted': This is the status given to Kuchiki with only a single Kenseikan; and this marks them as being full members of the clan, therefore granting them noble status and effectively putting them above the law of Soul Society -- only to answer to their clan. Beyond this however, this affords them no authority whatsoever and they'd have to distinquish themselves to rise in the system. Most Kuchiki are of this rank. *'Honored': Only once a member gains their second Kenseikan do they truly become acknowledged, they receive more attention, are granted greater support and are generally treated much nicer than their predecessors. They get few other boons other than clan-wide recognition and respect. Those select Kuchiki whom distinquish themselves through talent, intelligence and merit are rewarded with their second Kenseikan. *'Esteemed': In the intra-clan politics of the Kuchiki Clan; possessing three Kenseikan is indeed a rarity; and those whom have achieved this are treated as no less important than princes and princesses; commonly being dressed up in fantastical garments and clothing, meant to inform others in advance of their position. This is also the point where a clan member is granted their own Kuchiki Crest; which grants them high authority in the matters of the Kuchiki Clan as well as Soul Society - indeed, even allowing them to stop executions and grant full pardon to any criminal simply by presenting it. The Third Kenseikan is rewarded in extremely rare cases, and its usually resserved for potential future heirs, picked by either the current clan head, or the current heir - but most commonly it's granted for outstanding service or performance. *'Revered': This is the absolute highest attainable position attainable by any Kuchiki, short of being the Clan Head. There's only a single person in the entire Kuchiki household who may four Kenseikan at a time, and more often than not, there ain't one. To have four Kenseikan means nothing less than to be publically acknowledged as being the next in line, bypassing all other members of the clan. There's only one way to achieve the fourth Kenseikan - and that is to be specifically appointed as the next-in-line by the current Clan Head, with at least half the clan bearing witness. Its also required that the recipient of the fourth headpiece already be one of the esteemed. *'Exalted': There's only a single person in the entire Kuchiki Clan who receives the honor of wearing five Kenseikan - and that is none other than the current head of the clan. The last Kenseikan is added at the end of a large ceremony, and it grants absolute authority over the clan and all clan-related matters, cementing the wearer as the head of one of the Four Great Noble Houses. Notable Members * * * *'Kuchiki Kazuya' *'Kuchiki Shinichi' *'Kuchiki Junichi' *'Kuchiki Fushi' *'Kuchiki Tenma' *'Kuchiki Tensai' *'Kuchiki Daisuke' Trivia Kuchiki Clan Ceremony- Kuchiki Clan Marriage - Kuchiki Clan Finances - Executions – The Kuchiki (like the other three houses) can interrupt any execution and grant full pardon to a criminal simply by presenting the family crest. When this happens, the criminal falls under the protection of the Kuchiki (he becomes a part of their family), and he is then subject to their own laws and punishments. This is rarely used as a form of mercy, but instead as a means for the Kuchiki to reclaim lost honor. The criminal can typically expect to meet a fate worse than death.